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Friday, February 8, 2008

Sawako - Madoromi

SawakoMadoromi(11.2007, Anticipate)Verdict = A Quietly Elegant Take on Perfection

From what I understand, Madoromi is a Japanese term for the period of time between sleep and waking. A sort of gauzy quasi-conscious space confused with dream and reality. That being as it is, Madoromi is the perfect title for Sawako’s third release and first on Anticipate records. The label seems to be a hotspot for intensely high quality ambient electronics featuring important releases from Mark Templeton and Morgan Packard in 2007 (both of which landed on my top 50). It’s is unfortunate that I didn’t catch Sawako earlier because Madoromi is definitely Anticipate’s finest release thus far. In fact, in the long line of regrettably late reviews of what would have been substantial portions of my year end list, Madoromi ranks the highest. Everything on my wish list is here: blissfully bright oceans of ambience, succinct loops that feel progressively faultless the longer they play and a porcelain ear for the most enjoyably textured samples. The result is a gorgeous lulling sound collage that is more reminiscent of the beauty of nature than that of manmade art. Occasionally, however, Sawako injects some grounding human samples that helps maintain that semi-consciousness that Madoromi implies. Even before I knew what the title meant, Madoromi reminded me of waking up to light beaming through my bedroom window on a Saturday morning, completely free of responsibility and being gently warmed by the rays of the sun. In conclusion, just know this: whenever the word ‘perfection’ sneaks its way into my verdict, the connotation is wholly intended.